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No OCC Billboards! Wiki
Welcome to the No OCC Billboards! Wiki Information on the Ottawa Convention Centre proposal for massive digital billboards on their South facade, or for those who want to learn more about the proposal. The Digital Billboard The Ottawa Convention Centre is seeking approval to place massive digital billboards on the South Facade of the Convention Centre. These billboards are out of keeping with the heritage and visual values of the area and detract from the visitor and resident experience of the NCC greenspace along the Rideau Canal corridor. There would be further negative impact to neighbouring residents and traffic safety risks to pedestrians and vehicle traffic on Colonel By Drive. The Proposal The proposal is to place two billboards comprising a 9.7 metre (31 feet) x 9.7 metre (31 feet) high resolution screen and a 9.7 metre x 13.3 metre low resolution screen, plus a "title bar" on the South facade of the building, as well as a smaller 17 metre x 4 metre screen on the West facade of the building. These screens are unprecedented in scale. The two screens proposed for the South facade of the building would dominate both the building and the surrounding landscape. Objections There are many objections to the proposal regardless of any merits that it may have. The key objections to the proposal are as follows: *Traffic safety *Heritage and Tourism Impact *Negative Impact on Neighbouring Residential Communities *Commercial Intrusion into the Public Realm It is ironic that proponents of this proposal have pointed to international projects that enliven public spaces and create a vibrant community in support of this proposal when it conflicts with the values or the guidelines of the projects they evoke. The Canada Place installation is frequently cited in spite of the fact that it is drastically smaller in scale, both in absolute and relative terms, is completely constrained to a commercial district and is perpendicular to the centre line of the roadway that it abuts. London 2012 digital screen guidelines are also often cited, in spite of the fact that the proposed installation conflicts with many of the critical guidelines related to commercial intrusion, contextual considerations of harmony with the surroundings and preservation of heritage character. Traffic Safety In an era in which legislation and regulation are increasingly being used to eliminate or reduce risks related to driver distraction, the proposal creates very real traffic safety risks on Colonel By Drive. The proposal is at odds with current best practices in transportation and with the current trends in regulatory regimes. The proposal is in direct line of sight of the centre line of a major thoroughfare with an increased pedestrian presence. It further contemplates highly interactive content which presents as great a risk of driver distraction as texting or cell phone usage which the Ontario government and the City of Ottawa are seeking to eradicate. For more on the traffic and pedestrian safety issue, refer to the page on traffic safety risks. Heritage and Tourism Impact The proposed digital screens are not only situated in the urban core of Ottawa, they are also situated at a strategic location of the Rideau Canal corridor that is a protected viewpoint under NCC regulations created under federal legislation to preserve key viewpoints that protect Canada's national symbols and nationally recognized heritage structures in the capital. The viewpoint is intended to provide controls over the foreground of the view onto the historic Chateau Laurier hotel. The view down the deep notch of the Rideau Canal is an iconic picture postcard view. The placement of digital billboards in this location would have a detrimental impact that could negatively affect tourism in the capital. For more on this issue, refer to the page on the planning context. Negative Impact on Neighbouring Residential Communities Due to its location on the Rideau Canal corridor, the Ottawa Convention Centre is in direct line of sight of thousands of residential homes in neighbouring areas. The intense light pollution generated by intense LED screens would have a serious deleterious impact on neighbours. In approving digital billboards elsewhere in the city for its temporary pilot project, the city has set a pre-condition that such billboards would not interfere with the rights of residents to the reasonable enjoyment of their property. These installations were not allowed to be visible from neighbouring residential communities. For more on the impact on neighbouring residential areas, refer to the page on residential impact Commercial Intrusion into the Public Realm The proposed location of the digital billboards presents an unwarranted intrusion of commercial interests into the public realm. The Ottawa Convention Centre wall overlooks not just City Hall and Confederation park, but a substantial amount of greenspace along the canal reserved as urban parkland. A commercial intrusion of this sort is unprecedented in the greenbelt and out-of-keeping with the user experience and recreational values of the Rideau Canal and its pathways, as well as with the ceremonial nature of Colonel By as a scenic entryway into the city. Pilot Project In June 2011, the NCC board met and granted their approval for a three year "temporary" pilot program to install the billboards, against the approval of NCC staff, stakeholders and their expert advisory panel. The pilot project still cannot proceed without the approval of Ottawa City Council as it violates bylaws and the City of Ottawa plan. Online Petition An online petition has been started for neighbouring residents and users of the Rideau Canal to register their objections to the degradation of the heritage and visual values of the Rideau Canal corridor and the iconic picture postcard views of the Chateau Laurier. The online petition states: The Ottawa Convention Centre proposes to place two massive digital billboards on the South Facade of their building, overlooking the Rideau Canal and detracting from the viewscape onto the Chateau Laurier from the South. The billboards are in contravention of the principles of federal viewscape legislation, the City of Ottawa Official Plan, the City of Ottawa Sign By-law and NCC policy. They adversely impact neighbouring residents, detract from the heritage values of the location and present a public safety risk. The NCC board of Directors has approved a three year pilot project for the billboards against the recommendations of their staff and expert advisory councils. The project still requires the approval of the Ottawa Planning Committee and Ottawa City Council. Category:Browse